Business Communications at SWC - Essay Example

Running Head: BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS AT SWC Business Communications at SWC In APA Style By The business model of SWC calls for the establishments of communication strategy which will not only become efficient for the members but will also enable the business organization to attain its goals and objectives. After a thorough analysis of the needs of SWC, this paper draws some recommendation utilizing the five stage group development model, the issues of diversity and creating effective teams, and the communication channels. The Advantages and Challenges of Virtual Teams Having a virtual team has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. For one, through the employment of a virtual team SWC will be harnessing the power of technology in order to minimize the cost of renting out an office space and will facilitate the use of diverse individuals around the globe. However, from a communication perspective managing a virtual team can pose problems in maintaining rapport among members, bridging cultural gaps, and orchestrating for them to do their designated tasks at specified dates. As opposed to members who meet face to face, virtual teams have yet to build a strong relationship through virtual interactions in order to maintain the efficiency and accuracy of the work which the company wants each member to undertake. The Initial Meeting The initial meeting of the virtual team should be designed in order to overcome the distrust and anxiety that the members feel toward each other. Thus, in order to facilitate this meeting, it is recommended that teleconferencing be used in order to develop a warm and more social atmosphere. This get-to-know-each-other stage should not be a venue to tackle serious and formal matters but should be designed in order for team members to feel at ease with the prospect of working together in the future. Thus, teleconferencing will allow each other to talk and view each other while the first meeting is conducted. The first meeting should be facilitated by someone from the headquarters of SWC. At first, there should be an ice breaker by allowing members to introduce themselves and communicate casually with each others. The latter portion will be more serious by as it will be on the establishment of the team's goal and clarification of the roles and responsibilities of each team member. Before this discussion, an overview of how things work in the company should be presented in order for members to know how their different tasks can contribute to the overall process taken to attain corporate goals. Special discussions should also be conducted to tackle the following questions within the group: agreement on team ground rules, turnaround time of emails, calls, etc; information sharing; giving and receiving feedback; using media effectively; conflict management; and stakeholder satisfaction (Jude et al 2000). The facilitator should give each member pitch in his or her ideas in these situations in order to avoid further conflict in the future. Key Interactions Key interactions in the company will be facilitated through different communication channels. Conference calls should be used in order to conduct the needed trainings. As each member will be closely working hand in hand, training them together through conference calls will be beneficial in further defining their tasks and specific responsibilities. The use of email will be to facilitate sending large files and documents to the members as well as different questions and clarification on everyday communication. Emails will therefore be the primary means of communication. NetMeeting will also be used in order to facilitate the periodic meeting of each team member. Aside from these work related communications, SWC should also look into conducting team building strategies in order to solidify team relationship. If possible, it can set up a face-to-face meeting with its team members in an annual basis in order for them to further get acquainted with each other as well as instill a sense of belongingness in the company. Coping with the Five-Stage Team Development As the team goes through the five-stage development process, SWC should be able to address the special issues and concern that may arise. In the forming stage, the main issue is the distrust and level of anxiety among team members which can be tackled through the creation of an atmosphere that will enable them to share their different personalities and socially interact with each other. This is already clarified in the section above. In the storming stage, SWC will need to address the issue of conflict among members (Kimball et al, 2000). This can be done through a clear outline and definition of the responsibilities of each team member. This can be done by circulating a document which clearly outlines the group's goals and the particular task of each member. The next stages see the formation of a higher level of trust, lower anxiety, and elimination of conflict (Duarte and Snyder 2000). However, it is irrefutable that these stages still require attention to SWC. For one, it needs to address the individual needs of each team member on how to function more efficiently. Also, it should constantly evaluate the performance of team members and look on ways in improving them through trainings and seminars. Team-building activities should not also be set aside but should be in place in order to promote rapport. Diversity The issue of diversity is much more pronounced in virtual teams where members come from different cultures bringing with them their own traditions and way of living. In order to minimize the clashes among team members, it is important to look at their relationships. Each team member should be assigned in areas where he is perceived to perform best in order to take advantage of the diversity of their talents (Lipnack and Stamps 1997). A clear document on conflict resolution should also be circulated stressing that conflicts be resolved as they arise in order to avoid bigger damages. Lastly, SWC should invest in forging good relationships through team building activities. In order for each member to understand cultural differences, a manual should also be circulated to serve as precaution and guide in interacting with a fellow worker. Respect should be a part of the company's value and culture and should strictly be adhered to by members. Reference Kimball, L., Noble, S. and Kennedy, J. 2002.Virtual Team Tool Kit, Group Jazz Publishing Lipnack, J. and Stamps, J. 1997. Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time and Organizations with Technology, John Wiley & Sons Duarte, D. and Snyder, N. 2000. Mastering Virtual Teams, Jossey-Bass, Inc. Jude-York, D., Davis, L., Wise, S. 2000. Virtual Teaming: Breaking the Boundaries of Time and Place, Crisp Publications Read More